Security challenges and US pressure trap Iraqi officers

Baghdad: One of the most tense Iraqi cities, Baghdad had been seeing escalating violence every day.

Hospital morgues receive more than 250 bodies every week, according to unannounced statistics by the Iraqi Health Ministry.

The number raises fears of a looming civil war in the country despite repeated assurances from Iraqi leaders.

"Sectarian violence in Iraq is a confrontation between terroritsts and armed militamen," Mohsen Abdul Hamid, president of Shura Council of the Iraqi Islamic Party, told Gulf News.

However, he added, "Leaders of the political blocs are determined to reach a final agreement on forming a government under the pressure of the accelerated security challenges facing Iraq".

At the same time, he believed the escalation in sectarian violence led to a reduction in the demands of the political sides taking part in the ongoing negotiations to form a government.

The sectarian violence is not the sole challenge facing the Iraqi commanders, believe observers.

Leakage of sensitive government information and penetrations into high-security databases were more dangerous because it means the government will lose its battle with terrorism.

However, the commander-in-chief for the Iraqi army, Babaker Zebari, denied penetrations in an interview with Gulf News.

His statements might apply to the Ministry of Defence, but not the Interior Ministry, where there are almost confirmed reports of penetrations, after the announcement of arrests of two groups.

One of them kidnaps and kills Sunnis, while the other provides the armed groups with information that helps them attack major targets.

The US officers warned Iraqi leaders of a possible civil war if they ignore the security challenges.

Mahmoud Othman, a leading Kurdish figure, said the Americans were exerting "tremendous pressure" on the Iraqi political powers to reach an agreement on a national unity government.

But Amer Al Hussani, a supporter of Moqtada Al Sadr, told Gulf News that the Mehdi Army, the armed supporters of Al Sadr, will not give up their weapons.

The writer is an Arab journalist based in Baghdad